Editorials
Monday, September 15, 1997THE comatose state of a 4-year-old Kailua boy -- who was taken from foster care and returned to his family home, where he suffered a fractured skull -- highlights the difficult problem of protecting children from abuse, serious injury and even death. As representatives of the Legislature met to discern how this tragedy occurred, a recently released national report has shed some light on the media's effectiveness in monitoring child abuse in America. Flaws in news coverage
of child abuse casesThe topic was debated in June at the Casey Journalism Center for Children and Families in Maryland. In the summary released this month on the conference, "Rethinking the Blame Game: New Approaches to Covering Child Abuse and Protection," somber observations are shared on how press coverage of the problem has an impact on readers, viewers, the system and even on the journalists themselves.
For example, participants pointed out how:
Coverage of child abuse too often focuses on the most sensational cases with the most extreme problems. Meanwhile neglect is far more common than abuse -- although it rarely attracts the same amount of press attention.
The 32 print and broadcast journalists in attendance were reminded that state confidentiality laws -- that make it difficult for reporters, and ultimately the public, to find out whether child protection systems are working -- are so structured to protect the privacy of families and extremely vulnerable children. But journalists must not be deterred in their quests, although the process can exact an emotional and psychological toll on them.
Donna Shalala, U.S. secretary of health and human services, challenged the press to bring cases of child abuse out of the shadows and into the light for public scrutiny. But she also issued the caveat that "this is not a Hollywood movie, and there are no easy answers" to the abuse and neglect of keiki.
MOBUTU Sese Seko, the former army sergeant major who seized power in Zaire 32 years ago and proceeded to suck the country dry, is dead at 66 of prostate cancer, just three months after fleeing to avoid capture by triumphant rebel forces. Death of a despot
At his death in exile in Morocco, Mobutu had amassed a huge personal fortune while leaving his resource-rich country -- one of Africa's largest in size and population -- in economic and political chaos.
Mobutu symbolized the betrayal of hope for many former African colonies that gained their independence only to fritter away their opportunities. The question now is whether a new generation of African leaders will do any better -- and whether the major powers will help them in constructive ways or continue to exploit and manipulate them for their own purposes.
OVERREACTION to disclosures of campaign fund-raising violations by Asians and Asian Americans has prompted a call for a hearing by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Asian-American groups want the commission to focus on actions by Congress, the news media and the Democratic and Republican party organizations that they claim have inhibited Asian-American participation in politics. Civil rights complaint
Some good might come of such hearings, but they shouldn't be used as a red herring to divert attention from the very real transgressions of campaign law that have occurred. Many of the recent disclosures have involved Asian Americans, but that has more to do with the fact that the parties have been trying to increase contributions from Asians and Asian Americans than with racial prejudice. A case in point is the prosecution of former Honolulu residents Nora and Gene Lum, who have pleaded guilty and been sentenced to 10 months' confinement.
Rupert E. Phillips, CEO
John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher
David Shapiro, Managing Editor
Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor
Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors
A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor
